Trials of referees wearing body cameras have been provisionally approved by football’s lawmakers, i can reveal.
The English Football Association wrote to the International Football Association Board [Ifab] requesting that the proposal be considered and, as revealed by i, it was included in the latest AGM.
IFAB wanted to ascertain the appetite of other member associations for body camera trials to take place and the idea was met with approval.
Ref Support UK, the charity who have long lobbied for Body Worn Cameras, said in a statement: “We believe the decision is the most significant development in the protection and support of match officials at grassroots level for decades.
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“Body Worn Cameras will improve the environment of our national game on many levels in addressing all forms of abuse in our game, not just referee abuse.
“Additionally, football has many positive moments that will be captured by BWC to evidence the beautiful part of our games.
“BWC will also become an essential part of the training and development of match officials and show unique insight to the challenges referees face, many alone, during a game.”
Trials will initially take place in adult grassroots football with leagues in England having already put themselves forward to pilot the technology.
The Toolstation Western League, which includes 40 clubs across the West Country, “expressed their concern over abusive behaviour to match officials and female physios last month and believe bodycams could mitigate potential problems and improve the match day experience for everyone.
“[We] have proposed taking part in a pilot that could trial their use and consider their effectiveness in improving participant behaviour.”
Ifab’s rule book has expressly forbidden the wearing of body cameras and would need to be altered if trials are successful.
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